Folding table.



J. E. LESSOBD.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.29, 1914 Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

u un luh m Z 5 A TTORA/EY JOHN E. LESSORD, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

FOLDING TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application filed December 29, 1914. Serial No. 879,420.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. Lnssonn, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Tables, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to folding tables,vand an object of the same is to provide a. construction which may be compactly folded and which will have an appearance similar to an ordinary non-folding table in which the legs are connected by stretchers.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter de scribed, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an end view of the table; Fig." 2 is a side of the table near one end; Fig. 3 is a'plan view of the under side of the table in folded condition; Fig. 4 is a side view of the table in folded condition with the top undermost; Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the manner in which the ends of the side stretchers engage the legs; Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the locking device; and Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the inner corner of one of the legs and parts arranged adjacent thereto.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates a top of any suitable construction having secured thereto two spacers which preferably are in the form of transverse pieces 2 arranged in parallel relation near opposite ends of the top and preferably having enlarged ends 3. Hinged to the spacers are the supports each of which preferably comprises two legs 4 which taper toward their free ends and have their upper ends, when unfolded, abutting the under faces of the enlargements 3, the cross sections of the enlargements being substan tially of the same size and form as the upper face of the legs so that said enlargements appear as continuations of the legs. The legs are connected together by end stretchers 5, the upper edges of which abut the under faces of those portions of the spaces between the enlargements. the outer faces of said stretchers being flush with those portions of the spacers between the enlargements 8 so that the central portions of the spacers appear as continuations of the end stretchers. The hinging of the supports may be effected by ordinary leaf hinges 6 secured to the upper ends of the legs and to the under faces of the enlargements. This arrangement permits eit er support to be folded inwardly until the free ends of its legs engage the under surface of the top, after' which the other legs may be folded on the ones first folded inwardly, so

that the legs will lie in compact relation to the top. The tapered form of the legs, together with the fact that the outer faces of the first ones infoldedpracticallv intersect the hinges of the other legs, facilitates this compact arran ement.

To hold the supports in upright positions, two side stretchers 7 are provided, these stretchers being hinged at 8 to the under surface of the top between the spacers 2 to swing inwardly. The ends of these stretchers abut the enlargements 3 and also the legs 4, the inner corners of the enlargements and also the inner corners of the legs being removed at 9 and 10 respectively to provide seats for receiving the ends of the stretchers.

Any suitable means may be employed for holding the stretchers in unfolded positions, but. in this instance. each stretcher is provided at each end with a strap 11 in which a knob 12 is adjustably mounted. This knob is adapted to pass laterally into a channel 13 formedin a plate 15 which is secured to the adiacent leg 4 in the seat 10. The walls of said channel are contracted at its mouth to engage behind the knob, and at one end of the channel, the side-walls are flared at 14 relatively to each other to facilitate the passage of the proiection into the channel, the plate being made of spring material so that, as the neck of the projection passes into the narrowest portion of the channel, the latter is expanded, after which the neck passes into the pocket 16. This arrangement holds the stretchers against accidental displacement but permits them to readilv swing inwardly when pressure is applied thereto.

A table constructed in accordance with this invention is foldable to compact form without the necessity of making the distance between the legs on the two supports different. The legs are hinged to abut against spacers which hold the upper ends of the legs in spaced relation to the table top so that either pair of legs may be folded inwardly to cause their free ends to abut the top, while the other pair of legs may be folded over such free ends to lie substantially parallel to the top. These spacers are shaped so that they appear to be continuations of the upper ends of the legs and the end stretchers. The legs are held in upright positions by side stretchers which appear to be of common construction and which, by engaging both the spacers and the legs, do not have any strain placed on their hinges as all end strain is taken up by the spacing members. IVhen in an unfolded or operative condition, the table has the appearance of an ordinary table with side and end stretchers.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a folding table, a top; two supports, each embodying two legs, and a stretcher connecting said legs; spacers of equal heights secured to the under side of the top and each having a central portion confornr ing to the stretcher and enlarged ends conforming to the legs, said spacers having the legs hinged to the enlarged ends so that the upper faces of the legs and stretchers abut the under faces of the spacers; and inwardly swinging side stretchers hinged to the under face of the top at points between the legs of each support to engage at their ends the enlarged ends of the spacers and the legs of the supports.

2. In a folding table, a top; two supports each embodying two legs and a stretcher connecting said legs; spacers of equal heights secured to the under side of the top and each having a central portion conforming to the stretcher and enlarged ends conbeing removed to provide seats for the ends of said side stretchers.

3. In a folding table, a top; two supports each embodying two legs and a stretcher connecting said legs; spacers of equal heights secured to the under side of the top and each having a central portion conforming to the stretcher and enlarged ends conforming to the legs, said spacers having the legs hinged to the enlarged ends so that the upper faces of the legs and stretchers abut the under faces of the spacers; and inwardly swinging side stretchers hinged to the under face of the top at points between the legs of each support to engage at their ends the enlarged ends of the spacers and the legs of the supports, the inner corners of the legs and the enlargements being removed to provide seats for the ends of said side stretchers, and fastening means for the side stretchers embodying headed projections on the ends of the stretchers and spring;

latches on the legs.

- 7 JOHN E. LESSORD. Witnesses:

a H. H. SIMMS,

ADA M. WVHITMoRE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C." 

